The Misplacement of the Artist's Anger
by bookdiva
Summary: After Booth rejects her, she says that she'll be fine alone...but she didn't want to be. Angela was worried about her friend and was waiting when she got home. After Bren tells her everything, Angela is very mad. What will she do?
1. Chapter 1

"_I'm with someone Bones, and Hannah, she's not a consolation prize. I love her."_

His words echoed around in the car while he drove. They were still resounding when he pulled to a stop at her apartment complex.

_He loves her. Not me, her. _

"Are you sure you don't want me to call someone to be with you?" he asked again.

_He loves her. Not me, her. _

"I'm sure," she said in a broken voice that belied her statement. "I have always been alone, right? Why should tonight be any different?" _But oh, how I wish it could be._ She forced out that broken laugh that made her sound bitter, and broken, and anything but '_fine'_.

He looked like he wanted to argue so she quickly climbed out of the vehicle and slammed the door so he didn't have the chance to respond. She walked into her apartment building, stumbling and not feeling the rain soak her already damp clothing.

She wished with everything in her that she didn't have to be alone tonight, but she knew—logically—that it was impossible for her not to be. Booth didn't want her anymore because he had Hannah now; he couldn't take care of her anymore. Angela was with Hodgins; she was pregnant, and she had a family that she should get to enjoy her family. Also, Brennan didn't want her friend out in this weather. They were the only ones that she trusted—that she really loved. One of them didn't _want_ to be troubled to take care of her anymore (Booth) and the other, she _couldn't_ trouble to take care of her because it wasn't fair to her (Angela). It was just inevitable that she be alone—like always. It was nothing new really—except this time she wasn't alone by choice, but because he didn't want her anymore. She hadn't been enough for him just like she hadn't been enough for her father, brother, and all her foster families.

Sighing and trying to hold herself together with the thin thread left of her mask, she turned her key and let herself into her apartment. Using the last of her strength, she took a step inside, grabbed the door, and then pushed it shut. Leaning against the door, she slid to the ground, let the sobs come, and finally fell apart.

"Brennan?" she heard. "Is that you? Are you finally home? Where have you…? Oh my…Bren—Sweetie what happened to you?"

"Angela," she said shocked and still crying, "what are you doing here?"

"I—uh, well you see I…" She took a deep breath. "Look Bren, I know you don't like this but I've been worried about you—with this case and how you've been taking it and all—so I decided that I would come over and see how you were. And I thought that I'd stay tonight if you needed, and you obviously do, so here I am."

"Here you are, when I need you most. Oh, Ange…" And the sobs overtook her again, but she was not alone. Her best friend just held her and let her cry herself out. She knew that now she would have to tell Angela everything, but the funny thing was, she was finding that she wanted to tell her everything—and she would.

XXXXXXXXXX

As she held her best friend, Angela could hardly hold back her worry. She had never seen Brennan like this before and it scared Angela to see her like this now. Her friend was usually so calm, cool, and emotionally detached. This was—not like her at all.

"Do you…want to talk about it Sweetie?" she asked. _She won't, _Angela thought. _She'll just shrug it off and say that she's fine. Oh, what am I going to do? How can I help if I don't know what's going on?_

Angela thought for sure that she wouldn't want to talk, thinking she'd appear weak, so her friend's reply shocked her.

"I'm—yes. I'd like that—to talk I mean. I'd like to talk about it."

"You—really? You want to talk about it?" Angela was so surprised, she didn't think about what she was saying. Realizing that she should fix her obvious surprise she tried, "I wasn't expecting you to…I mean…" She took a deep breath and collected herself. This wasn't about her right now—her surprise, curiosity, or worry—it was about Brennan and what was hurting her. "I'm here to listen. Why don't you start at the beginning?"

"I don't know where that is," Brennan admitted. "I—Ange, I don't know when it started. Was it when I met him? Was it love at first sight? I'm not sure—it could have been." _What the…who is she talking about. And love? Well, there's only one _him_, but _LOVE_? Bren talking about _LOVE? "Who are you talking about Sweetie?" she asked.

"Was it when I thought he was dead? All the times he's taken a bullet for me?" Brennan continued as though Angela hadn't spoken.

"So Booth then," Angela clarified, but her friend was past listening to anyone.

"Was it last year when he wanted me to gamble with him? Was it when I realized that I wanted to gamble? Could it have been when I realized that I couldn't die without telling him that I couldn't _live_ without him?" She paused as a sob escaped her control. "Was it tonight when…Angela, I don't even know where the beginning is anymore."

"Sweetie, what happened tonight? What do you mean gamble? What happened last year?" It was a lot of questions, but Brennan's tirade had really confused Angela.

"Oh, yes. Um…well, we were at a session with Dr. Sweets and we were recounting our first case. Sweets said that Booth was the gambler and when we left he seemed to be thinking about what Dr. Sweets had said. He said that he _was _the gambler and that Sweets was right. Then he asked me to gamble with him; he asked me to take a risk."

"He really said that?" Angela asked. _A risk? He asked her to take a _risk_? _What _was he thinking? He knows how she is about that stuff! _"What else did he say?"

"Well, he said that I should take the chance and let us have 30 or 40 or 50 years and that he wanted that with me. I said that I didn't want to lose our partnership and then he said that he had to move on and…oh Ange! He didn't fight me like he always does. He said he wanted 30 or 40 or 50 years then in the next breath said that he could move on. And I was supposed to risk what we had on a faulty thing like that? How could I? Doesn't he know that he's worth more than that to me? And now, Hannah—"

"Sweetie, _that's_ ok," Angela cut in. _The poor, foolish idiot. I know he didn't mean to hurt her. Booth would never… _"Booth wasn't thinking when he asked you to take that risk. And Hannah, well, you know he'll always love you. Hannah is nothing more than a distraction. He still loves—"

"No Ange, you don't understand. This case…it made me realize that I don't want to die like Lauren did—with regrets. I—I told Booth. I said that I'd made a mistake and that I didn't want to have any regrets and he…he said…" She stopped.

"What did he say, Sweetie?" Angela was so surprised she didn't know what else to say. _She actually said that? She made herself vulnerable to Booth and he…oh my…_

The pieces began to fit into place and Angela realized what had happened.

"He said…he said, 'I'm with someone Bones, and Hannah…she's not a consolation prize. I love her.'" Her voice cracked on the last sentence and she broke down into quiet tears.

Angela just held her. Her anger at Booth was so great that for once, words couldn't do it justice. No one had ever affected Brennan this way—Angela knew that no one had ever gotten close enough. She just stayed silent, held her friend, and thought. Her anger grew stronger with every tear that fell down her friend's face.

She thought about Booth and how he had gotten past all her walls. He had pushed her when she balked; he had stubbornly refused to accept her 'rational ideals'; he had decided to prove to her that love was real. Until, like every other man in her life, he had decided that she wasn't worth the trouble anymore.

Yes, Booth had done what he had sworn he would never do. And for that, Angela was going to make him pay.

Looking down, Angela realized that Brennan had calmed down and was drifting off, so she lifted her to her feet.

"Come on, Bren," she said. "Let's just get you to your bed, and you can take a shower. I'll stay the night, ok?" Angela expected an argument and was shocked at her friend's reply.

"Yes, please stay. Please."

"I'm not going to leave you, Bren," Angela said.

"Everyone does," Brennan muttered.

"Oh, Bren, I promise I won't." The sight of her best friend in pain broke Angela's heart.

"Doesn't make a difference. Everyone leaves eventually." Then Brennan stood. If it weren't for the red eyes, you would never know that she'd been crying. "Thanks, Ange. I really didn't want to be alone tonight. You're the best friend, really." And she turned and walked into her bedroom. Turning back she said, "I think I'll take the day off tomorrow. I don't want to be there. In fact, I think I'll…yes. Tomorrow, I'm making plans for you and I and you are going to go along with them." She gave Angela the ghost of a smile.

"I promise," Angela said wondering what crazy thing her friend was up to this time.

"I—I'm going to hold you to your word Angela," Brennan said seriously.

"I know you will," Angela said. "But you know I'd do almost anything for you. You're like a sister to me."

"I find that I don't think of you as just a sister Angela," Brennan said. "I find that I regard you as higher than a sister. You are my family." She paused. "I—I love you Ange."

Angela was amazed.

"I love you too Bren. And I will always be here for you. I promise."

"I know." And with that, Brennan went into her room to shower and get to sleep.

_The hell that she can't change, she already has! She has more heart than anyone else I know. _

She heard the water going and knew that Brennan was taking a shower.

_When I get my hands on that Seeley Booth…_

"Oh, yes indeed. Seeley Booth, you are going to pay," she said. And with that, Angela took her cell phone out of her purse, went in to the guest bedroom, and dialed his number.

XXXXXXXXXX

She really didn't look good; he'd never, _ever _seen her like this before.

"Are you sure you don't want me to call someone to be with you?" he asked again.

"I'm sure," she said in a broken voice that belied her statement. "I have always been alone. Why should tonight be any different?" She forced out that broken laugh that made her sound bitter and anything but '_fine'_.

Her reply angered him and he was about to reply when she jumped out of the car and stumbled through the rain up to her door. He'd known that whatever he had had with Bones, the semblance of friendship they'd been able to recreate, had been held together by one thin string. He was afraid now, though, that tonight had cut the last string.

It killed him to leave her alone—all he wanted was to make it better, take out the guy who was doing this to her—but it was entirely his fault. Besides, he had Hannah to go home to. Hannah, whom he loved.

_I love her Bones. _

_I love her Bones._

_I love her Bones._

The words he had destroyed her with.

_I love her Bones._

When she'd looked at him, he'd seen it in her eyes. She loved him. And she chose to tell him at the time in his life when he couldn't say it back.

_Why did she have to choose _now_? I'm happy without her. I've moved on. Why did she choose _now_ to decide she's in love with me? All the time we had—all the chances she missed, and she chooses _now_! _

He'd never known greater pain than he'd experienced tonight. Not taking a bullet, not the tumor, not even her rejection last year, had caused him as much pain as watching her put up the walls that had taken him six years to tear down.

He needed to get out of here. If he stayed, he knew he would do something he'd regret. Something stupid like go after her and throw away everything he had with Hannah. He couldn't let himself do that—what he had with Hannah made him happy. Like he'd told Bones, he loved Hannah.

_I love _her.

_I love _her.

He had destroyed her with those words. He had put her walls back up with those words. He had ruined six years of loving her with those words. With those words, he had destroyed her, and in turn, destroyed his whole universe.

XXXXXXXXXX

Hannah was alone in the apartment worrying. Just sitting there…worrying. And it was making her angry. This wasn't who she was—how had she become…_this? _The woman who sat at home worrying over the whereabouts of her boyfriend.

Suddenly, Seeley's phone began to ring. Hopping it was him, she answered without looking at the called ID.

"Seeley," she said darkly. She was not at all prepared for what happened next.


	2. Chapter 2

"Seeley," a gruff, dangerously angry voice came over the phone. His attitude made Angela even angrier.

"Oh, _Seeley_ now, is it?" Angela said. Knowing he was on the other end of the line made her blind with rage. "Seeley Booth, I don't know who you think you are—I don't know who you've become since you've come home—but I will not stand by while you do this to her."

"Ange—"the other voice tried to cut in.

"Yes, it's Angela. You had to know this was coming. No one does what you did without consequences Booth." Angela took a deep breath and decided that she was going to say what she wanted to before he got to speak. "You asked her to take a _risk_? You told her that you wanted to have 30 or 40 or 50 years but if she couldn't change then you'd move on? You never even said that you loved her! And we all know you do—or you did. Before you ran off with your tail between your legs—you _idiot!_ You promised her that love was real and that she was worth real love. Do you know what she thinks now? Well, I'll tell you—she thinks love does exist and she doesn't deserve it—that's right _Seeley! _She believes in love and she thinks she doesn't deserve it. And _you_ did that. You proved to her, just like everyone else in her life, that she is un-loveable. _You did that_. And let me tell you one more thing: Temperance Brennan has more heart than you ever will. She is worthy of love, and she shouldn't have to change to get it." _There, _Angela thought, _let's see what he has to say to that._

It was silent on the other side.

"Are you still there Booth?" she asked. _If he hung up on me…_she thought dangerously.

"Um…Angela? This is Hannah."

_Damn it…_

XXXXXXXXXX

"Seeley," Hannah said. _He better have a good reason for why he isn't here. _

"Oh, _Seeley_ now, is it?" It was Angela and she sounded very angry. "Seeley Booth, I don't know who you think you are—I don't know who you've become since you've come home—but I will not stand by while you do this to her."

"Ange—"Hannah tried to cut in, but Angela kept right on going.

"Yes, it's Angela. You had to know this was coming. No one does what you did without consequences Booth." _What is she talking about? What did Seeley do? Why is she so mad?_ "You asked her to take a _risk_? You told her that you wanted to have 30 or 40 or 50 years but if she couldn't change then you'd move on? You never even said that you loved her! And we all know you do—or you did."

_What the…who did Seeley love? Why is Angela going off on me…I mean Seeley? _

"Before you ran off with your tail between your legs—you _idiot!_" she continued. "You promised her that love was real and that she was worth real love. Do you know what she thinks now? Well, I'll tell you—she thinks love does exist and she doesn't deserve it—that's right _Seeley! _She believes in love and she thinks she doesn't deserve it."

_What the hell did Seeley do to Angela? _was all Hannah could think. She was so confused by Angela's ranting; she just listened in stunned silence.

"And you did that. You proved to her, just like everyone else in her life, that she is un-loveable. _You did that_. And let me tell you one more thing: Temperance Brennan has more heart than you ever will. She is worthy of love, and she shouldn't have to change to get it."

_Temperance? Temperance. Of course. _It was starting to make sense, thought she didn't want it to. _I don't understand what's going on. Seeley said that Dr. Brennan was just his partner. They don't even seem to even be friends—they're just…partners. What the hell is going on?_

"Are you still there Booth?" Angela asked.

_Answers. It is time for some answers,_ Hannah thought with determination.

"Um…Angela? This is Hannah."

"Hannah?" Angela asked sounding horrified. "Oh, I'm so sorry. I was just…I mean…um…" She seemed at a loss of what to say.

At that moment, a disheveled Booth walked through the door.

"Seeley just got home," she said coolly, "if you'd like to talk to him now."

"Umm…you know what? I think I'll talk to him tomorrow," Angela said. "Yelling at you—which I'm really sorry about by the way—wiped me out. Just tell him I called and tell him that avoiding me is useless."

At that Hannah laughed, "I will."

"Hannah?" Angela said. "I really am sorry about that. I didn't mean to yell at you. It's just…I've never seen her so broken and…well he's the only one she's ever trusted and…she's my best friend and when someone hurts her…especially when they promise they never will…"

"They pay," Hannah finished for her. "It's ok Angela. I understand. I'd do the same for my friends. Good-bye."

"Good-bye," Angela said.

XXXXXXXXXX

Booth walked through his door, feeling like his life was crumpling around him. He saw Hannah talking on his phone.

"Seeley just got home," she said coolly sending him and even icier glare, "if you'd like to talk to him now."

She listened to the other person, and laughed a little at whatever they said.

"I will," she replied.

She listened again then said,

"They pay. It's ok Angela. I understand. I'd do the same for my friends. Good-bye."

_Oh no, this is not going to be good. If Angela's calling looking for me does that means Bones told her…everything? If she did, Angela is going to kill me. And what does Hannah know? What did Angela say? Furthermore, what does _Angela _know? What the hell did Bones tell her? I mean, why else would she call me? None of the squints seem to give me a second thought. _He was so confused—there were so many pieces. Hannah looked ready to do battle; Angela had called and what she'd said must have upset Hannah; then, of course, there was what had happened between him and Bones.

"So," he said nervously, breaking the icy silence. "What did Angela want?"

She just stared at him for a moment before replying.

"You," she said slowly, "will find _that _out tomorrow." She smiled. "And don't try to avoid her. I have a feeling that will just make it worse and—as she pointed out—it would be futile. I'm guessing she called tonight without even thinking through what she was going to say and her arguments were quite sound. The more time you give her, the worse it's going to get." Booth was surprised by her understanding of Angela and uneasy of her—and Angela's—seemingly accurate knowledge of what had really happened with Bones.

"What…what did she say tonight?" he asked. Hannah laughed,

"She thought I was you so she really let me have it." Then she grew serious. "I don't know what you did Seeley, but I can tell you right now that it was a mistake."

That made Booth angry. He used all of his control stayed silent.

"Seeley, what did you do?" she asked. She sounded so disappointed and angry that he lost his hold on his anger.

"How can you say that what I did was a mistake?" he yelled. "I just told Bones that I loved you!"

Hannah looked up at him, surprise written all over her face. Then she looked angry.

"But do you really?" Hannah asked in a deadly quiet voice. Booth just looked at her; he didn't have the words to tell her and even if he did, he doubted he would be able to make himself use them. "I should have seen it before, but I guess I was blinded by love." She chuckled a little. "I love you and I know you love me, but it's not enough. Neither of us have our hearts fully in this. Just tonight, when I was worrying about you, I was more angry about being worried than truly worried."

"What are you saying?" he asked.

"I'm saying that we aren't two halves of a whole. We're just two really close matches."

As she spoke, he realized the truth—the rightness—of what she said.

"I…I think you're right," he said. Having the truth out made him feel lighter.

"You love her," she said. _I love her. _

_The words I destroyed Bones with. I love her. What I said was true, to an extent, except Bones was my 'her', not Hannah. Like Hannah had said, she and I were just two souls who were really close to a perfect match, but just not quite perfect. Bones was my perfect match, whether she wanted to be or not, and I was hers. _

"Hannah, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do this. You know I didn't mean—"

"—to hurt me," she finished for him. "I know that; because you hurt her too and I know you'd rather die than be the one who hurts her." She smiled at him. "I understand. I really do—far more than you could ever know. She just wants you to be happy, so why don't you give her what she wants? Be with her; that's what makes you happy."

"Hannah, I don't think that's an option anymore," Booth said. "Not after what I did tonight. I—I really hurt her. I've been hurting her, and I promised her I never would. I promised that I wouldn't leave her like everyone else. And what do I go and do?"

"Exactly that," Hannah said. He looked up at her. "What? It's true, isn't it?"

"Yeah, it's true. But you don't have to be so…blunt about it," Booth said irritated.

"Look, Seeley," Hannah said testily. "If you think talking to me—the least hurt of the three of us—is so hard, then you're damn near going to be in hell when you have to talk to her. 'Cause it seems you are the _only _one she's ever let in. And she let you in because you promised her that you wouldn't leave her. And look at the facts."

"I left her," Booth said. _I can't believe I didn't see it, _he thought.

"Yes, you did. But not before you made her believe," Hannah said. Her voice was gentler.

"Believe in what?" Booth asked confused.

"Love," Hannah said simply. "I'm a journalist, Seeley, so you have to give me _some _credit. I've known that she's in love with you since the day I got here; I just never knew—until tonight—that you love her too. And, also if what Angela said is true—"

"What did Angela say?"

"You're not getting off that easy. You'll just have to wait until tomorrow." Then she turned serious. "Seeley, I know this isn't enough—for either of us."

"I'm sorry—"Booth started.

"I know you are," she cut in, "but it still doesn't change things. I don't have much; it won't take me long to be gone."

"Where will you go? You don't have to leave—I'm not throwing you out, you know," Booth said.

"I know, and I'm grateful. I kept my apartment. I'll just go back there. And I think I'll head back to Afghanistan anyway," she said. Then she laughed, "Following the President around wasn't as fun as it sounds."

"I really am sorry Hannah," he said again.

"I know you are," she said patiently. "I hope we can be friends again—someday. I really do."

"I think we already are," he said smiling. She smiled back at him. He knew that she'd move on; she would find someone else who loved her. Surprisingly, he was ok with that. More that ok, he felt like a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders as if he had just given away a heavy burden. He really didn't feel any pain at the thought of her leaving, or the thought of her with another man.

But he was feeling pain. He also knew that he'd beyond blown any chance at a relationship with Bones—friendship, hell maybe even their partnership—and that hurt more than anything. It hurt as Hannah was leaving; it hurt after Hannah left; it hurt so bad that he couldn't sleep.

XXXXXXXXXX

Angela shut her phone and stayed in the living room. She couldn't believe that she had just yelled at Hannah. She didn't do anything wrong—falling in love with Booth was hardly a crime—and she didn't deserve her wrath. Booth on the other hand…

_Booth will wish that he had been the one who picked up the phone tonight when I'm done with him tomorrow_, she thought.

Hearing nothing from Brennan's room, she decided to give her friend some space. Brennan would come to her if she needed to talk some more. She fell asleep shortly after. She was awakened hours later by screams.

Bolting upright, she scrambled out of bed. The screams were coming from Brennan's room. As she approached the door, she could hear her words.

"No! No! No! Nothing left…take _me! _Nothing left…No!"

Over and over again, Brennan was screaming these words.

_She's having a nightmare,_ Angela realized. _What do I do?_

She panicked. She didn't know what to do. She'd never seen her friend show so much emotion. And she realized, grudgingly and with intense rage,

_Booth would know what to do,_ she thought angrily. But Booth wasn't there just then, and he never would be again, so it was up to Angela. The screaming came to a sudden stop, as if Brennan had just started awake. Angela opened the door and walked into her friend's room.


	3. Chapter 3

_She was working on an old set of remains in a dimly lit hallway. There was nothing but a stainless steel table and the set of bones. Sensing someone standing behind her, she turned around. _

"_What are you doing here?" she exclaimed."You are supposed to be in prison."_

"_I will always be where you are," said Heather Taffet, otherwise known as the Gravedigger. _

"_What do you want?" she demanded. Heather pulled a gun. _

"_I want to hurt you, Dr. Brennan," she said. "I want you to suffer for putting me behind bars." At this Brennan felt herself laugh._

"_You want to hurt me by killing me?" Brennan heard herself say. "That is stupid, but go ahead. You'd be doing me a favor." She was taunting the killer. _

"_Oh, I'm not going to kill you Dr. Brennan," Taffet said with a sneer. "I know you would gladly die. After all, what do you have worth living for?" Then she laughed, "You have nothing and no one, so I'd rather let you live in your misery, but I know that there is someone I can kill who has a lot to lose. Someone you care about more than yourself, someone you need who doesn't even want you. Won't it be fun to tell him that you are the cause of his untimely death?" When she said this, she pulled Booth out of the shadows._

"_Booth!" Brennan exclaimed. "No! Please, take me! I have nothing left to live for, you said it yourself! Take me! Take me!"_

"_I'm not in the mood to be doing you any favors, Dr. Brennan," Taffet said._

"_Then don't do it for me," Brennan said. She forced herself to think rationally. "Do it for yourself. You value your freedom, don't you?" _

"_Yes," Taffet said hesitantly. _

"_Well, I am the only one who would be able to put you back in jail," she reasoned. "And when I'm…dead…the case will go cold," she continued. "As you said, Booth doesn't care for me. It will be nothing to him if I'm gone, right Booth?"_

"_Yeah, Bones. I wouldn't care if you were gone," he said. Then he smiled that charm smile._

_She felt her heart rip in two, but she couldn't let Taffet see that. Forcing a harsh laugh to cover her sob, she smiled and said,_

"_You see? So why don't you take me wherever you want and just leave Booth alone?"_

_Heather seemed to consider for a moment before shoving Booth harshly to the ground. Then she lashed out at Brennan. Suddenly, she was bound and inside a wooden box. Heather Taffet's face appeared above her._

"_Sleep well, Dr. Brennan." _

_Then she began to cover her with dirt._

"_No! No! No!" Brennan screamed over and over. But as more dirt fell atop her, she couldn't get the words out. Suddenly, everything was black. She could no longer speak—she couldn't make a sound at all—and all was black. No matter what she did, she couldn't rise from that black place._

XXXXXXXXXX

Angela walked Brennan's room and saw her thrashing around, but not making a sound.

_What do I do? What's happening?_

Angela had no idea what was going on; she didn't know what her friend could possibly be dreaming about; and she didn't know what to do. She needed help, and there was only one person who would know what was going on and how to stop it.

_Booth. _

As much as it killed her to even think of _talking _to him—much less ask him for a favor—she knew that if it would help her friend, she would do it. Taking out her phone, she dialed his number.

It rang, rang, rang, rang, and rang. After the fifth ring, he picked up.

"Look, Angela," he said in a tired voice, "I know I screwed up, I know you hate me, and I know I deserve it. I know it is tomorrow, but please, could you leave the yelling until a natural hour? What time is it anyway?"

"No, you look Booth," Angela said in a hard voice, "when I talk to you tomorrow, believe me I will yell at you, and we will pretend that this conversation never happened. But right now, as much as it just _galls _me to admit, I need your help. And I'm in a bit of a rush, so if you could just tell me what to do I'd be grateful."

There was silence on the other side of the line for just a moment before he said,

"Alright. What do you need?"

"Brennan was yelling in her sleep and then she got all quiet. Now she's just thrashing around and she won't wake up. I don't know what to do, Booth. She looks really bad." Booth's response was immediate.

"Don't go anywhere, I'll be right there."

XXXXXXXXXX

_Ring! Ring! _

Booth started awake. Was it morning already? He glanced at the clock.

_Nope, _he thought, _not morning._

_Ring! Ring! _

It was his phone. He glanced at the caller ID and sighed.

_Why can't she just wait until morning?_

"Look, Angela," he said in a tired voice, "I know I screwed up, I know you hate me, and I know I deserve it. I know it is tomorrow, but please, could you leave the yelling until a natural hour? What time is it anyway?"

He really wasn't awake enough to take the thrashing he knew was coming his way.

"No, you look Booth," Angela said in a hard voice, "when I talk to you tomorrow, believe me I will yell at you, and we will pretend that this conversation never happened. But right now, as much as it just _galls _me to admit, I need your help. And I'm in a bit of a rush, so if you could just tell me what to do I'd be grateful."

He was too tired to argue.

"Alright. What do you need?"

"Brennan was yelling in her sleep and then she got all quiet. Now she's just thrashing around and she won't wake up. I don't know what to do, Booth. She looks really bad."

Immediately Booth was awake.

"Don't go anywhere, I'll be right there," he said as he jumped out of bed.

"Booth!" Angela yelled through the phone. "I highly doubt that you being here would help anything at all." That stopped him in his tracks. She was quite for a moment. "Just…just tell me what I can do."

_She's right,_ he thought. _My being there would just make it worse. I'm probably the cause anyway._

He sighed and sat back down on his bead. Instead of heading straight to his partner's apartment, he just asked,

"What was she saying?"

"Well, she kept yelling 'No! Take me…nothing left…take me! No! No! No!' It was terrible Booth. And now she won't wake up and she's thrashing as if she's trying to dig her way out of something."

Booth understood at once, but the horror of it kept stole his voice.

"Booth?" Angela called. "Are you still there?"

"What? Yeah, I'm here," he said shaking himself out of it. "She's—Angela, she's having a gravedigger nightmare."

"What?" Angela asked. "I—I thought that hadn't…I mean, she never said…but she wouldn't would she?" Then she paused and collected herself. "But none of that matters right now. You know her the best. What do I do?"

"You have to go to her, grab her wrists, and pull her up into a sitting position," he said. "After that, just hold her and assure her that I'm alive."

"What do you mean—"Angela started.

"Just trust me. She's had these nightmares many times—I have too for that matter—so I know what to do," he said. "Go to her now. Please call me and let me know when she's ok."

For a moment she hesitated.

"Okay," she relented. "And Booth?"

"Yeah?" Booth said tiredly.

"Um…thanks I guess. For this, not anything else," she said.

"Just let me know when she's ok," he said.

"I will," Angela promised. Then she hung up.

XXXXXXXXXX

There was genuine concern and terror in his voice and, as much as she hated to admit it, she could tell that he still cared for Brennan. This was not foremost in her mind, however. She was more concerned about the terror in his voice.

"Just…just tell me what I can do," Angela said.

_I need to know. I have to help her. I just…I need to know _how _to help her._

He sighed and seemed to be calmer when he asked,

"What was she saying?"

"Well, she kept yelling 'No! Take me…nothing left…take me! No! No! No!' It was terrible Booth. And now she won't wake up and she's thrashing as if she's trying to dig her way out of something."

Booth didn't answer for a long moment and Angela began to worry that he had hung up and was on his way over.

"Booth?" Angela called into the phone. "Are you still there?"

"What? Yeah, I'm here," he said sounding out of it. "She's—Angela, she's having a gravedigger nightmare."

"What?" Angela asked. _Jack used to get those, but I never realized… _"I—I thought that hadn't…I mean, she never said…but she wouldn't would she?" Then she paused and collected herself. She had to think about her friend. That was what mattered at the moment. "But none of that matters right now. You know her the best. What do I do?"

"You have to go to her, grab her wrists, and pull her up into a sitting position," he said. "After that, just hold her and assure her that I'm alive."

_What in the world? Assure her that Booth is alive? _

"What do you mean—"Angela started. _The arrogant…_

"Just trust me. She's had these nightmares many times—I have too for that matter—so I know what to do," he said. "Go to her now, she needs you. Please call me and let me know when she's ok."

For a moment she hesitated. She wasn't feeling particularly charitable toward Booth at the moment. Why should she have to call him to let him know that she was ok? It was his fault that she was in this situation. But he was also helping her, and she could tell he was genuinely concerned about Brennan.

"Okay," she relented. "And Booth?"

"Yeah?" Booth said tiredly.

"Um…thanks I guess. For this, not anything else," she said.

"Just let me know when she's ok," he said.

"I will," Angela promised. Then she hung up.

Walking back into Brennan's room, she knew what she had to do.

XXXXXXXXXX

_The weight was getting heavier. No matter what she did, she couldn't get out. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't make a sound. She was trapped. She was going to die here—and she was terrified. She didn't want to die like this—like Lauren. She wasn't Lauren. _

I'm not Lauren,_ she thought. But wasn't she?_

_Suddenly two strong hands grasped her wrists and pulled her up. _

The darkness retreated and Brennan awoke with a start. She saw Angela's worried face looking down at her.

"Booth," she choked out, breathless. "Where is he? Is he ok? Did he…did he get away?" She tried to jump up but Angela held her tight. "Angela!" she said exasperatedly, "I have to make sure Booth got away and back to Hannah! She had him…I think she let him go…"

"Bren," Angela interrupted, "he's ok. I just got off the phone with him. He's ok."

Brennan couldn't understand her words. _How could Booth have gotten to a phone so fast? Why would he even bother to call Angela? He said he wouldn't care if I died, just as long as I was out of his…what does Booth say?...hair I think. What's going on?_

"Ange," Brennan looked up at her, "why did Booth call you?"

"He didn't," she said. "I called him. You were having a nightmare."

Slowly, Brennan processed the new information.

_So, Angela called Booth. That makes more sense. However, was it all really a nightmare? Yes, that would be most logical. Heather Taffet is still in jail, I'm in my home not in a coffin, and Booth…_

She stopped there as she remembered that that part hadn't just been a nightmare.


End file.
